Incoming Defense Secretary Robert Gates has recommended that President Bush order an immediate buildup of 10,000 troops in Iraq, with an option of doubling that to 20,000 by spring. The plan is known as "Five Plus Two," sending five Army brigades into Baghdad plus two Marine battalions into western Iraq. Two of the Army brigades would go into Baghdad starting in January, with the other three on call. The plan comes with a high-level personnel shake-up in the Global War on Terrorism apparatus. Gen. David Petraeus has been named to replace Gen. George Casey as top US commander in Iraq, with Adm. William Fallon, now head of the Pacific Command, to replace Gen. John Abizaid as chief of Central Command. Outgoing Abizaid and Casey have both expressed qualms in recent weeks about boosting US forces in Iraq, with Abizaid warning that an increase of 20,000 could not be sustained for long by the overburdened US military. (CBS, Jan. 6)

The year is off to a great start. As in Madrid and Bangkok, somebody seeks to prove the intellectual superiority of their position by blowing up random civilians. (And none of these three cases involves Muslims, by the way.) From the NYT. Jan. 6:

COLOMBO — A powerful bomb blew up a passenger bus on Saturday, killing 11 people and wounding more than 40 others on the southern coast of Sri Lanka.

From Ali Javadi of the Worker-Communist Party of Iran, Jan. 1:

A Step toward a Dark Future!

The UN Security Council has unanimously voted on a resolution to impose a series of political and economical sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to this resolution, the export of Commodities and materials with dual use in Uranium enrichment, production of heavy water and also missile production will be prohibited. In addition, the resolution has given a 60 day notice to the Islamic regime to comply with the resolution to halt Uranium enrichment, otherwise heavier economic sanctions will be imposed. The United States government demands unilateral sanctions against Islamic regime in Iran. Ahmadinejad, in response has announced that the Islamic regime will continue its nuclear enrichment programme and will soon have 3,000 centrifuges for production. Real and serious dangers threaten the society and people!

The routing of Somalia's Islamist forces from their last stronghold in the southern port of Kismayo is being portrayed in the Western press as a victory for order and civilization against extremism and terrorism. A look at the local press reveals that the forces of the so-called "Federal Transition Government" which have taken the city are led by exactly the same warlord whose misrule had resulted in the populace rallying to the Islamic Courts Union in the first place. From Garowe Online, Jan. 1:

We actually sympathize with the cause of Basque independence, but given everything that is going on in the world, why does anybody think blowing up random civilians is a legitimate means to acheive political aims? The Basque movement does appear to be divided—or does this indicate that the attack was a provocation to sabotage the peace talks? From The New Standard, Jan. 4:

From Bangkok's The Nation, Jan. 4:

Blasts shatter hopes for reconciliation
The bomb blasts that hit Bangkok on New Year's Eve signalled that the worst is yet to come. The explosions, which killed three people and injured almost 40, were certainly not the work of international terrorists, who typically direct their attacks at large targets for maximum impact and exposure -- that much is certain. However theories and counter-theories abound regarding the other two key suspects -- southern insurgents and the remnants of the previous regime. Some analysts have ruled out militants from the deep South on the grounds that it would be unlikely for them to want to venture beyond their accustomed areas. Besides, the manner in which the bomb devices were planted in eight different locations in Bangkok was too sophisticated for southern insurgents.

A communique from the Iraq Freedom Congress, Dec. 29:

Iraq Freedom Congress statement on Saddam's execution

The execution of Saddam was carried out and announced by the global media. As IFC stated soon after the death sentence was issued, this trial had nothing to do with serving justice, restoring dignity to Iraqis or to preserving the human rights that have been violated in the "new democratic Iraq" more than ever.

A communique from the Worker-Communist Party of Iran, Dec. 30, received via e-mail:

On the execution of Saddam Hussein

This morning Saddam Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq, was hanged on the orders of the US government and its hand-made ethnic-religious regime. For around 30 years, Saddam’s regime was a symbol of the most criminal and repressive dictatorships in history, claiming countless victims. The repression, brutality and tyranny of the Ba’ath regime caused enormous suffering for the people of Iraq, in particular political opponents, labour activists, communists and ethnic and religious minorities. Tens of thousands of people were tortured, executed and eliminated under that regime or brutally massacred by chemical bombs and other means. The atrocities of Saddam’s regime are truly beyond description and will never be forgotten.